On November 22, 2004, a female employee 0ver the age of 40 filed a class action lawsuit under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. § 621 (ADEA) against Sprint/United Management Company in United States District Court, Northern District of Atlanta. The plaintiff, represented by private counsel, asked the Court for declaratory and injunctive relief, including reinstatement and restoration of pensions and other benefits, and monetary relief including front pay, back pay, and liquidated damages to redress Defendant's allegedly willful age discrimination in its reduction in force.

According to the plaintiff, the defendant targeted older workers protected from such age-based job actions by the ADEA and employed criteria, practices, and policies that had a significantly disparate impact on older workers on the basis of age. Defendant willfully disregarded a known disparate impact, either because unlawful age discrimination met Defendant's intended purpose or it was indifferent to the federally protected rights of the affected employees or both.

On May 15, 2006, the United States District Court, Northern District of Atlanta, (Judge Beverly Martin) preliminarily approved the proposed settlement and appointed a settlement administrator. The proposed settlement provided for payment of $5.5 million to the 462 class members. The settlement was finally approved on July 27, 2006 and the case was closed.

Caitlyn Clarke - 04/06/2008


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